


The Luna Faerie

by Phisobi



Category: Original Work, Wradsworld
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety Attacks, Enemies to Friends, Fae & Fairies, Fairy AU, Fearplay, G/T, Giant/Tiny, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This On My Phone, M/M, Mentions of past abuse, Size Difference, Slow Burn, i dont really know a lot about faeries so i made my own stuff up lol, this is basically just another self-indulgent work, this story does not start out happy. like at all.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:34:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25278568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phisobi/pseuds/Phisobi
Summary: This story is going to be darker and probably a little bit shorter than The Sugar ThiefContent Warnings:-Kidnapping / character being held/sold against their will / mentions of being kept as a pet-Treating the character like an item/animal, calling them 'it', etc,-Inflicted injury on the helpless character and (talked about) body horror/mutilationThis takes place in a fantasy AU where humans discovered faeries and instead of being like "woah cool! new friends!" They were like "oh hey look rare insects that make good ingredients in potions" so the fae tend to hide from them and live secluded as best as possible.----When Finn's home burns down due to an unfortunate natural disaster, he set out on his own to help his colony locate a new spot.However, things quickly go south as he finds himself trapped, and put on display in an Alchemist's shop.Needless to say, his first encounter with humanity isn't going very well.
Relationships: Finn/Maverick, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 13
Kudos: 74





	1. Sold

**Author's Note:**

> Hiii so I wasn't sure if I wanted to start writing something new or not but the cravings for angst and fearplay were just too strong lmao. Just letting yall know now that this does not start out happy, like at all, but the end goal will be a healthy relationship between the two protags. All about that slow burn tho babeyyy!
> 
> (Finn is modeled after a Luna Moth, and there is pictures of him on my tumblr @bottlesandbuttons, simply search "Luna Fae")

Things to know before reading: 

-Any human can learn alchemy and make a potion.

-Not all humans can use magic, but the ones that can usually have an aptitude towards one of the five divisions (Summoming, Illusion, Mending, Enchantment and Transmutation) and can hone their skills through the use of school or a mentor.

-Humans generally believe that fae are only capable of _mimicking_ human emotion, not feeling it themselves.

-The language barrier between Fae and Human breaks when they know/speak each other's names

-There are Luna and Solas faeries. Luna fae are more active in the night, and get their energy from the moon. The Solas fae are the same, but with the day/sun. A Luna faerie's wings are larger and like that of a moth's, while a Solas faerie's wings are long, thin and clear (think 'traditional fairy' wings). 

-A fae's wings will heal themselves/grow back over time, a process sped up by Dust, but they will never fully replenish themselves if torn out

-Finn is 6 inches tall, and a Luna fae.

  
  
  
\---  
  
  


" _Now don't you try and escape.. I hate being on pest cleanup_." 

The voice was soft, but had a deep warning to it. Finn couldn't tell what they were saying, but it didn't sound too good. 

"Let me out!" He vehemently protested as he tried to pry the metal gate open, but he knew his words fell on deaf ears. Immediately he regretted his actions as he was rewarded with a flick against the cage, rattling the silver bars and sending him flying backwards in a panic. All of his bravery drained from him at the grin that settled on his captor's face. Terror filled him, which seemed to be what they wanted.

He stood still on the smooth metal floor as the human brought him down a narrow hall and into a much bigger room, hoping that this place would at least be better than the last, but what he saw made his stomach twist into a solid knot. The walls were lined with everything from captive rats and mice, to small insects, to flourishing plants and dried herbs. His eyes went wide as he took in the sight before him. Everything from the various creatures and materials to the jars and bottles only screamed one thing: He was in an Alchemist's shop.

Involuntarily he began to shake, as the reality of everything set in. He was going to sit here and rot on a shelf, just to be _sold_ like he was just some mindless animal or an _ingredient_ to be picked apart and harvested for whatever his buyer wanted. He felt sick to his guts, and could barely hear the thunderous voice above him as his captor spoke. Presumably, to the shopkeeper in the room. Finn didn't look. He couldn't move. 

" _Where d'you want this one, boss?_ "

" _That's a special one, there. Put it near the front display, it's bound to sell quicker that way_." 

The faerie jolted back as they were on the move again, and only once his cage met solid ground did a little bit of the tension leave him. He let out a shuddered breath, trying to get a grasp of his new surroundings. He was on a large wooden table, placed in between the display of bright crystals and geodes and the stack of velvet-wrapped books that towered above his enclosure. It was a little relieving to not have been placed within sight of the other captive animals, unable to meet their same, hopeless stare as they could only try not to think about the grim fate they were all bound to endure.

But something came to Finn's attention; He hadn't noticed a single other faerie yet, and the realization made him freeze.

_He was the only one_ _here._

And that was when the tears hit. Nobody was looking at him anymore and he crumpled to his knees, silently begging to any God that would listen that his next 'owner' wouldn't be so cruel. He knew that the rest of the fae that had been brought here must have sold quickly, and Finn quivered at the thoughts of their demise. Of _his_ eventual demise. But he was a fighter, and although he was trapped he didn't intend to go down so easily. 

One of the humans, the thin taller one that he deduced was the shopkeeper, slowly started to approach his cage and brought the faerie back to reality. He wiped his tears, backing away from the gate as much as possible. However the human didn't seem to notice, and passed right by the table. He stopped a few feet away at the front entrance, turning a key in the lock and pushing it open. Suddenly Finn was hit with a burst of different smells and sounds, making him desperately long for freedom even more. He longed to go back to the life he had, or to have at least any life at all now beyond these terrifying walls.

But humans just saw his kind as insects. Annoyances that can be done away with for fun. It was sickening-- Finn never truly believed that _every_ human could be so bad, but his hope was starting to drain as he was faced with the reality of none of them helping him out in this gruesome situation. He'd heard the tales growing up, and he knew _why_ his kind remained hidden at all costs, but it hurt to witness it first hand.

Before too long a light bell rang as another large figure entered the room from outside, taking up a considerable portion of Finn's vision as they passed by. The fae froze, but relaxed a tiny bit when they paid him no mind and went towards the shelves. Maybe he could be lucky enough to survive the day if he remained as unnoticeable as possible? But what would that achieve, other than simply prolonging the inevitable? He didn't know how to feel about his situation, but it certainly wasn't good.

A considerable amount of time had passed before more humans started walking into the store. Most passed right by him, but the ones that _did_ notice his cage sure gave him a lot of attention. And he hated it. Their round eyes were always wide and they pointed at him like an object on display, saying things he'd probably disagree with if he could understand. But all he could do was stare back through the bars, back into the corner, and hope that they would pick something else. Thankfully most of them seemingly left him alone for the most part, not intending to buy him.

Finn shivered, and wondered if it was because of the price he was set at. He knew humans were beings of greed, and he could all but wonder at the cost that they had set for him. The cost of his _life,_ just a few _measly human coins._ The thoughts made him sick again and he tried to think about something else. Anything else.

But the only thing his frantic mind could do was imagine the worst. No human would buy a faerie (and an expensive one at that) just to become friends with them, so he already knew that he was just going to die. But what would they want him for, to torture him for fun? Keep him as a pet? Brutally tear off his wings for one of their dastardly concoctions? _Maybe they'd rip out his antennae, or drain his blood, or take his eyes or--_

His vile racing thoughts were cut short as another pair of heavy footfalls rattled the bars of his cage, making him peer up. Another human stood towering above him with shockingly bright blue eyes, wide like usual. But as Finn met their gaze, he found not wonder and greed and curiosity like the rest of them had gawked at him with, but _sympathy_. 

Finn stared back, shocked at this expression, but the human didn't keep eye contact for long. Instead his gaze drifted down to the weird markings on the table, and he grimaced deeply. When he looked back up at the fae once more, his eyes had filled with sorrow. Slowly, as if regretfully, the human walked away from the table, leaving Finn alone at the front of the store once more. 

Again, his chest tightened with emotion. That human, the one who had looked at him differently, the one who could have been his not so cruel ticket out of here, had turned away and left him to rot. Finn curled his fingers into fists. He wasn't usually bad at reading people's expressions, but he guessed that he'd been wrong this time. Humans really were just full of deceit and lies. After all, it was how he'd ended up here in the first place.

_Traps._ What a horrible invention. Using them to hunt for survival was acceptable, but simply making them to lure creatures to their demise was a cruel, improper use of the materials. And Finn had been one to fall for their trickery.

He knew upon first glance that the wooden box in the forest with vines all around it was human-made, simply by the shape and design of it, but it had been sitting there for quite a while. It was easy to tell that it was built for faeries, but they weren't a very trusting species and it had obviously never been used. However, Finn had heard of humans making these places for them to simply live in and enjoy, and he saw no harm in that. He figured that this had probably been one of them, abandoned and ignored by his people.

The small cap of honey inside was a very tempting (and much needed) pick me up and, despite knowing the potential dangers of interacting with foreign objects, it had been the final straw to break what was holding him back. But once he entered the door had shut behind him, and he found himself stuck inside. A _human_ had come near a few hours later to rescue him, and Finn had brightened with hope that he'd finally be set free, but they were quick to prove him wrong. His hope deflated as the house-prison rumbled and he was whisked away, landing him where he was now.

Caged, alone, and afraid.

A short while later another human entered the store, this one's attention falling onto Finn almost immediately. He was big, as far as humans went, with long, thick dark hair and a beard to match. Despite his gruff exterior his clothes seemed to be made of fine cloth, neatly sculpted against his body. His eyes were creased at the corners from age, and it looked like he hadn't smiled in weeks. In total, he was terrifying. More than any other human that had walked up to his cell so far.

The ground shook as the tall gruff man approached the small silver cage, making Finn instinctively back up in fear until his bright green wings hit the bars. His dark gaze was intense, and the faerie's skin crawled at the deep voice that rumbled out of his massive figure, tossing inquiries to the shopkeeper who excitedly ran over. 

It didn't take long for Finn to realize that this was the human who was interested in buying him. _This_ would be the human that he lost his life to. He stared up in terror, pressed as far away from the two monsters above him as he could get. They seemed to talk about him for a considerable amount of time, occasionally glancing back at him with devilish smirks. It only made him feel more anxious by the minute, his mind desperately wondering just what was going to become of him.

He stayed on his knees as the cage was picked up once more. The violent swaying was enough to make him sick, and he'd fly to avoid it if that wouldn't just get him slammed into the sides of his enclosure whenever the human turned. The shopkeeper at least had the decency to be gentle not to rock him as he handed the cage over when the transaction was finished, but it seemed his new 'owner' didn't harbour much concern for his safety. His movements were quick and assertive, and had resulted in giving Finn more than a couple unpleasant bruises as he was tossed around. 

The direct sunlight practically blinded him as they stepped out of the store, and he could only see properly for a few seconds before the world went dark as a thick black material was draped over the outside of the cage, blocking any and all light from entering. Finn could only stare back into the nothingness. He desperately hoped for the best, but secretly knew that his chances of survival were slim.

The cage began to move again, with the faerie being carelessly jostled with every step. The darkness remained as he was carried once more into an unknown fate; he tried to reach out through the bars to grab the cloth and move it for a better view of where he was, but it wouldn't budge. A small part of him was grateful that it didn't, though. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to know.

Eventually after what felt like an eternity of walking he was set down on another hard surface, rather unceremoniously. Light suddenly flooded his vision as the dark material was ripped away, making Finn step back and blink furiously once more. After a few seconds his eyes focused, landing on the huge gruff human in front of him. He towered high above, looming over the small creature in the cage on the desk below. This didn't provide an adequate view however, so he bent down to eye-level with him, narrowing his eyes to take in every fine detail.

.

" _My, they weren't kidding,"_ The deep voice was too soft for his scrutinizing gaze, eyeing Finn up like he was some prize that just got won. " _You really are a special one. Such a shame to get rid of such pretty wings, but I bet they have excellent potency."_

Finn stared up at his captor, but he soon realized that the other wasn't making eye contact as they spoke in their strange language. Instead their gaze was fixated just beyond his head, on his wings. Finn paled as he realized what the giant was talking about. _He was going to take his wings first._

The faerie gulped, flattening them behind him as if he could hide their existence and deter the human from mutilating his body. It didn't work though, only earning him a wicked grin as the giant stood back up, presumably to make preparations. 

Panic began to settle in Finn's body as he was left alone in the strange room, and it only grew as he took in his surroundings. He was on a desk, one so much bigger than he'd ever seen in his life, surrounded by various alchemy and medical equipment. There was a wall of glass bottles behind him, most empty but some full of unknown liquids, and to his left lay a microscope lens on a poseable metal arm. To his right was a string of metal tools, each as long as Finn's entire body, and their sharp ends sent shivers up his spine. 

His fear increased tenfold as thunderous footprints grew louder in his ears, signaling his captor's approach and his gorey demise. He cringed with every step that shook the cage as the human came near, reluctantly opening his eyes when the other was in front of him once again. The sight of a giant hand reaching towards him was terrifying, and he wouldn't soon forget the experience. He tried to back away in protest, but he was pushed as hard against the back bars of the cage as he could. _Trapped_ _again._

Finn squeaked in protest as the calloused digits pulled aside the gate and wrapped around his lower half, slowly beginning to lift. He struggled, thrashing violently and trying to claw his way out of the iron grip, but his efforts were only rewarded with the hand tightening. He immediately ceased his fighting, afraid that any further pressure would simply snap his bones in half like they were nothing, with little care from the human above. It was already hurting to be touched where he had whacked against the metal bars earlier, so he opted for succumbing to his fear and just going limp as he boldly stared down the giant before him.

The gruff man seemed to be happy with his begrudging compliance, his sickening grin growing deeper as he moved his hand through the air to reposition the little fae near his face. He spun the creature around to admire the wings, humming lightly as he tried to decipher the best method of their removal. Slowly, he lowered it to the table, careful to not let go. He'd learnt the hard way before that just ripping the appendages off turned out to be a rather bloody mess, so if he wanted to harvest them correctly he'd need a little more precision. 

Which wasn't easy to achieve when the damn thing wouldn't stop squirming. He sighed, reaching with his free hand to grab the container of sewing pins. He didn't really care about the condition of the wings, so long as he got the base of both of them in the end.

Finn snapped out of his fear as he was repositioned against the hard desk beneath him, once again fighting the grip that surrounded him. The annoyed expression the human wore sent shivers down his spine, and for a split second he had the bright idea that maybe he should _not_ piss off the person who had his life in their hands. But all sense of intelligence immediately left him as his eyes landed on the box of sharp metal pins, and he began to thrash violently once more.

His struggling proved futile, unable to nudge the human's hand on top of him even an inch. After about thirty seconds he gave up, panting heavily. It was useless. _He was going to lose his wings. He was going to die._ Tears welled up in his eyes as he watched the human sadistically smile at him and lower the pin towards his body. But it didn't pierce his skin like he had thought it would. Instead, to his horror, it stuck right through his wing, pinning it to the surface below.

Finn's jaw dropped open, his stomach twisting at the sight. He tried to move it, to yank it free, but it didn't budge. Instead it just tugged in place, sending weird sensations up his wing and through his shoulders. While it wasn't technically painful the restriction felt incredibly awful, and he knew that it would take time to heal the puncture wounds. The human didn't seem to care though, and simply held him in place as he mercilessly shoved another spike through the opposite wing.

Finn cried out, begging the other to stop, but he knew they couldn't understand him. Even if they could, he doubted that they'd listen. His tears ran sideways off his face as he lay pinned on his back, completely helpless and out of ideas.

It was then that he closed his eyes, giving up on his fight. It seemed that the human was just going to do with him what he liked, whether Finn wanted it or not, and he couldn't do anything to stop it. He sat there and sobbed, simply waiting for the torture to end. A part of him wished that the human would just rip them out already and get it over with, but he was glad they hadn't. He didn't know if he'd be able to handle seeing his own severed wings from his body.

The human leaned forward once more, eager to continue the process, when suddenly a loud crashing sound stopped him in his tracks. Both of their heads swiveled towards the entrance of the room, the human's eyebrows furrowing in concern.

He lived alone with no pets so anything making noise in his place had to be investigated, no questions asked. There were things in here he couldn't have another soul lay eyes on, lest he get arrested, so it was worth it to pause what he was doing and make sure the cost was clear. He huffed, looking down at the pinned fae on the table before getting out of the chair and striding towards the door. The thing had no chance of escape like that, giving him time to go check out the noise and pick up where they left off later.

Finn sighed in relief as he was left alone once more. It was a miracle that he was still alive, and although he felt hopeless he was determined to get out of here in one piece.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ? :0
> 
> what could it be


	2. Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Maverick didn't condone committing crimes like stalking somebody to their house and breaking into their home to steal their property, he wouldn't let another one be bought and torn to shreds like it was nothing. Even though it was happening all over the continent after the discovery of faeries, he vowed to do his part to keep them safe.
> 
> Even if that meant doing incredibly stupid things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really don't know what the hell this story is or if it'll even go very far but I'm having fun just spitting out garbage for now! 
> 
> here's another trash dump, this time from Maverick's perspective

Another Before You Read about the magic / lore in this world.

-Maverick's mother and father were each a strong Illusionist and Summoner respectively. As a direct result of this, he finds himself with an aptitude for both magic classes. A rare occurrence in magic-wielding humans, usually ending in the person being forced to favour one affliction more than the other by either the school system or a personal tutor.

-While all of his friends go to classes for their magic, Maverick does not. His uncle teaches him both Summoning and Illusion magic from home, wanting him to have the best of both worlds and not be forced to pick just one. However, he is still an apprentice in both and his magic isn't extremely strong yet.

-Beginner Summoning magic relies on Scrolls, one-time use papers that call forth a being from the spirit realm to aid the caster for up to ten minutes. More advanced casters can summon bigger/stronger creatures for longer periods of time, but a summon will never be permanent. It's a constant drain of your magic while it's kept in the world you bring it to, so it wouldn't be worth it to try and keep one around anyway.

-Scroll summons cannot harm humans, but are still tangible and can interact with their surroundings. These beings are usually docile, small, and obedient, but there are a few who cause chaos, like the Growbeast, or Imp Swarms.

((*Also I slightly changed the last chapter -- there's no car ride anymore. More explained below*))

  
  
  
||  
  


Maverick sighed deeply, placing his items on the counter at the shop and waiting for them to ring up his total. He'd been a regular here for as long as he could remember, and he knew the things this store sold by heart, but he couldn't recall ever actually _seeing_ a faerie in stock before. Every time that he made it here after hearing of one's arrival, they'd already been sold out either immediately or within a couple of hours. He glanced down at his coin purse, painfully aware that he wouldn't be able to afford it, even if he wanted to. The price had been bumped up due to high demand and it being a Luna fae; It would take at least a week's worth of savings and then some to save up for it, and he didn't have that kind of time.

But the fae didn't deserve to just sit there like that. 

The image of the small, scared face was burned into his mind; the only thing he could see when he closed his eyes was the faerie's trembling figure, and those big glossy black eyes. The expression may not have been genuine, as mimicking human emotions to elicit sympathy was simply a means of a faerie's survival, but he knew they had intelligence. They had an entire culture and language that humans didn't understand, or didn't care enough about to pay attention to. _But he did._

Ever since he was little Maverick had always found himself with an interest for the creatures, horrified at the treatment of them by society. Although he couldn't deny their extreme usefulness as ingredients and magic boosters, he couldn't look past their upsettingly humanlike features and see them as the insectoids everyone else saw them as. This had earned him quite a lot of teasing from his peers growing up, as he adamantly refused to go on hunts for them and openly advocated for their rights to be left alone, but eventually he'd just learned to ignore the sneers and jests. If everyone wanted to ostracize him for his 'weird beliefs' and 'illogical ramblings', then so be it.

_They didn't know what he knew._

At a young age, Maverick had actually _spoken_ to one. He couldn't recall much of their conversation or how the two were able to understand each other, since he was only five years old at the time, but it couldn't have gone much farther than an introduction and their interaction had ended almost as fast as it had begun. It's been years but he never forgot about the memory, distinctly remembering two things: Her name and her wings.

Penny. A young faerie with long, beautiful crystal clear wings, that shimmered in the light as she fluttered a few feet away from him. While the biggest of fae usually stood no taller than eight inches, Penny only came to about four.

She was a Solas fae, the sun subspecies of the Faerie race. Maverick had known this because of his father's teachings, but the man wasn't too keen on them, referring to them as rare pests and instructing him to catch any he ever found, and bring them to him. He never moved to touch her however, simply too fascinated by her existence to ruin it for either of them. If he grabbed her, that would be the end of it. 

Instead he simply smiled back at her friendly expression and enthusiastic wave, watching as she disappeared back into the grassy fields. He wouldn't tell anybody about Penny, and he hasn't, for so many years. But ever since that day he knew that faeries weren't mindless insects, and vowed to save any one of them from danger if he ever came across it.

Maverick was about to exit the store, but hesitated before leaving. He pretended to be caught by the distracting items at the front, but was secretly spying on the captive Luna fae a few tables over. He desperately wanted to get the little guy out of there, but he could only watch his options of rescue dwindle to none as a large bearded man made the transaction. Just by the first look of him he could tell who he was.

' _The Warden_ ' is what he called himself, and everybody else in town just seemed to go along with it. Whether it was because they were respecting some status of wealth, or simply out of fear, Maverick didn't know. The man never told anybody his real name, and lived alone in a rather isolated house. He wasn't known for being a very pleasant person, and it was only plausible to assume he had ill intentions for the poor fae. Maverick clenched his teeth.

_"It's just a creature of mischief,"_ he could practically hear his father's voice berating him, " _the world is better off with less of them."_

Maverick swallowed, remembering how tiny and afraid it had looked in that cage, with its beautiful wings that probably wouldn't stay attached for too long in the wrong hands.

He grimaced. _This one doesn't deserve to suffer._

While he considered himself to be a man with a silver tongue, nothing came to mind that he could use to convince the Warden to give him the faerie. It wasn't like he could just buy it off him either, or trade him for something more valuable, as he had no coin nor bargaining chip on his body. He could use some of his magic to create a distraction in public, or maybe try to put him into a trance and just take it, but both of those were too great a risk with the amount of people around. Someone would _definitely_ see him. 

He chewed his lip and quickly dipped out of the shop, but remained near the storefront. He lingered within the heavy crowds surrounding the bustling market streets, keeping a solid eye on the door as he waited for the bearded man to walk out, contemplating his plan of action.

While he didn't condone committing crimes like stalking somebody to their house and breaking into their home to steal their property, he found a way to justify it for himself by deeming it a 'good cause' since he'd be saving a life. An insignificant life to others, but a very special one to him. He wouldn't let another one be bought and torn to shreds like it was nothing, his conscience would never let him rest. Even though it was happening all over the continent after the discovery of faeries, he vowed to do his part to keep them safe.

Even if that meant doing incredibly stupid things.

To his luck Maverick had actually _been_ in the Warden's house before, to buy potions from him for his uncle. It wasn't a very far trip from their home. He'd been invited as far as the man's living room, and told to wait there; The long dark hallway beyond was off limits, where he had disappeared to retrieve the potions, but Maverick could see other doors in the hall and it left him wondering. _What else is inside?_

His curious nature would be the downfall of him some day, or at least that's what his father had said. But he often never listened to the old man's words, always full of negativity and telling him what he can't do. He'd be flipping his lid if he knew what Maverick was planning to do - and that's exactly why he'd moved out into his uncle's place. With so much more freedom now, he was able to prove that he wasn't as incapable as his father thought he was.

To _who_ he was proving it though, he couldn't say.

Before long the Warden emerged into the streets, making Maverick duck back out of sight. He knew how to be sneaky, always having to tread carefully both physically and verbally when he lived in his father's, but the consequences of getting caught _this_ time were much more severe than the normal chastising he would have endured. This was trespassing, pure and simple, if he even found out how to get inside first.

Maverick started to walk 'home', secretly just tailing the Warden. He stuck to the back alleys, but he could always tell he was still close by the faint rustle of the cage, and the large keychain ring hat dangled from his belt that jingled with every heavy step he took. Once again he felt bad for the little fae, and the whole way he followed him he tried to brainstorm his plan of rescue.

Obviously the Warden was headed straight for his house, so Maverick wasn't sure how much time he had to do this. It probably wasn't a lot. His heart and mind raced, trying to come up with ideas.

He could knock on the door, maybe? Tell him that he was there to buy more potions, and snoop around when he disappeared? 

_No,_ he shook his head. His uncle wouldn't request something on such short notice, and it was much easier to get caught if the man came back and he was missing from the living room. He'd have to cause a distraction somehow.

An idea dawned on him, but he'd have to steal one of his uncle's scrolls to play it out. The repercussions of doing so wasn't something he was particularly fond of, but he'd just have to take the punishment as risk. He knew his uncle Roy wouldn't be mad if it were something small, like a Garden Sprite scroll, but what he needed was much, much bigger. 

A _Growbeast_ they were called, and they could cause quite a lot of ruckus if not taken care of properly or de-summoned. They're defensive black beasts that constantly morph shape, but still maintain their four legs. They start out as small as a raisin, but will continuously grow over a short span of time, filling up to fit whatever container they're put in. And if that container happened to be a room, it could be quite disruptive to its surroundings. 

In a split second decision Maverick changed his course from going straight to the Warden's house, to going back to his uncle's. He had items to drop off from the market, and he also needed to grab that scroll. He just desperately hoped that he'd have enough time - If he were to do this just to have the faerie already have been crushed up or torn apart, there was no telling what consequences he'd face.

That is, if he ever got caught.

While Maverick came off as a good kid to everyone around him, always polite and innocent, he knew how to get away with certain things. Like taking things he shouldn't, for example. It was easy to swipe his uncle's Growbeast scroll and replace it with a different one in the slot; He knew it was okay to be in the other's study room because he was currently away on a trip, but that didn't stop him from feeling bad about breaking their trust a little.

He wasn't sure if his uncle would be okay with his reasoning behind taking it, but there wasn't much thought put into his actions as he realized the sun had practically set, dipping low and cradled by the horizon. Time was ticking away by the second, and he had to act fast.

He quickly grabbed his long dark cloak to mask his figure, and in a flash he was out the door. With his hood pulled up, he began the walk to the Warden's house, praying that everything would go according to plan.

And it did, so far at least. The journey to there was unsurprisingly void of other people - Even the Warden himself was nowhere in sight, and Maverick could only push away the thoughts of being too late as he approached the house. He clutched the scroll in his hand, trying to decide where to deploy it. From what he could see there were two lights on in the house; one near the front in the kitchen, and one unknown.

He took a gamble and bet that's where the Warden was, and shuffled along the side of the house to the kitchen window. Carefully he peered inside, glad to see that it was open an inch and indeed empty.

"Okay," he sighed to himself, unraveling the scroll and lightly clearing his throat. _It was now or never._

One by one the words lifted off the page as they were spoken, giving out a soft ethereal glow. They swarmed together in the air, creating a floating ball of text, before falling to the ground. Even though he knew this summon would take up a large portion of his magic he kept reciting the script, calling forth the beast to aid him. It was the only chance he had. 

Before long the writhing form of text stopped moving and dissipated entirely, leaving behind a small black dot. Maverick was extremely careful picking it up, watching as it looked around the air confusedly. He knew that there wasn't much time left before the thing started to grow, and he'd only have about ten minutes in total with it, so he had to act now.

"Okay little buddy, I need you to cause a distraction," he whispered. The tiny beast simply grunted, but Maverick knew he was understood. He raised his open palm where the creature sat to the opening in the window, watching with bated breath as it crawled off his hand and into the Warden's kitchen. If it could distract the man long enough to leave that back room, then it would give Maverick enough time to slip in undetected. 

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he shimmied along the wall of the house once more, to the back. There was an entrance there, which he quietly waited beside, listening for his cue. 

And when he heard it, he thanked the gods that the door didn't squeak as he carefully slipped inside. The Warden's house may be rather small, but he had the money to keep it well taken care of.

Every part of him screamed that this was a bad idea, but still he pushed on. He could hear the Warden start to stomp towards the kitchen, and yell about the current ongoings on the other side of the house. The Growbeast had to be at least a foot big by now, and growing rapidly. Maverick could hear it clatter around as it crawled across the counters, knocking over pots and pans and kitchenware alike. A part of him felt a little bad about causing such a mess in his home, but that part was quickly cancelled out by the fact that he knew this man was going to mutilate a sentient being.

He moved as fast as he could while being almost completely silent, creeping down the back hallway. Thankfully any creaks made in the wood beneath him were muffled by the distant commotion, and he was able to crack open a few doors as he began his search. He knew that someone like the Warden, an alchemist, would only buy a faerie for its magical potential in potions. So, when he came across a room that was lined to the brim with plants and ingredients and a glowing alchemy table, he swiftly ducked inside. 

His eyes scanned the foreign environment, going wide when it landed on an intricate wooden tinkering table. Upon said table was the faerie he was searching for, brutally tacked down through its beautiful green wings by two sewing pins. His jaw fell open at the horrible sight, and he wasted no time in approaching the poor thing.

Unfortunately that only seemed to scare it more, and it violently thrashed at the restraints. Maverick had to hold his tongue-- it was hard to keep quiet at the sight of the wings ripping from the motion, and the pure look of terror on the little guy's face. His expression crumpled into pained sympathy as he reached forward to pluck the pins out, noticing the fae trade struggling for trying to peel away from his approaching hand. 

He really wasn't happy about their first impression already, but he figured he didn't have much to work with considering the time restraint. He could still hear the Warden yelling in the kitchen and the distant clattering of chaos, so he was in the clear, but he knew it wouldn't be long before the bearded man found a way to contain his distraction or push it out the door.

In one swift motion he plucked the first pin from the desk, watching the faerie go from cowering with its eyes shut to peeking curiously at his now-freed wing. The realization that it was being freed seemed to kick in as Maverick popped the second pin out, effectively removing the restraints. 

Almost immediately the fae scrambled to get away, and began to take flight. 

Only to make it about two feet in the air before the torn wings gave out, unable to support the weight. 

Maverick watched in a wide-eyed panic, lunging to catch it in his hands before it could hit the desk. A fall from that height probably wouldn't be good on such tiny bones, he figured. The faerie cried out as it fell into his open palms, and shivered as the two of them made eye contact. It was clearly terrified, but thankfully another escape attempt wasn't made. 

Quickly Maverick turned on his heels, hightailing it out of there as fast as he could with the faerie in hand. He would have opted for the cage if it wouldn't squeak so loud, or his pocket if he wasn't afraid of damaging the wings even _more,_ but again options were limited.

Once he grew closer to the back door he could hear the clattering in the kitchen finally come to a stop, making his blood run cold. Time was up. Holding his breath Maverick sneaked through the back door once more, recalling the scroll summon as the door shut behind him with a soft _click_. 

And then he ran.

Like his life depended on it he ran into the trees surrounding the Warden's house, beelining for his uncle's home. He held the fae close to his body to ease up the bumpy ride, but when he glanced back down there were no black glossy eyes looking back up. Instead the tiny figure was slumped in his hand, still as a rock.

Maverick stopped in his tracks a safe distance away, heart caught in his throat at the thought of accidentally having given the poor thing a heart attack to death. He ever so gently raised the other to his eyes, trying to find any sign of life. He sighed when he saw the slow rise and fall of its tiny chest, telling him that he hadn't done as much harm as he thought he did.

His determination to help this creature in his palms only increased tenfold as he continued the quiet walk home, a new fire in his eyes.

"Things are going to be alright," He whispered to the faerie with a soft smile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not the best first meeting but.. let's hope for round two! lmao


	3. Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Home. Somewhere Finn hasn't been in so long, and will never be again. Where the flowers bloomed so big that him and his friends could slide off the petals, where the currents in the sky were smooth and guiding, where the rushing of the small creek by the main tree lulled him to sleep every night. He smiled into his cocoon of warmth, remembering his past, but it faded as reality finally struck him. 
> 
> This was not home.

Finn tried to calm his hyper breathing, knowing that panicking would only actively make things worse for himself, but he couldn't help it as he heard more footsteps approach. His heart raced in his chest as he quickly realized that those were _not_ the big man's footsteps - instead of the heavy-booted steps that made the floorboards groan, they were quieter, as if they tried to not be there at all.

He craned his long neck upwards to get a better look at the door as it was cautiously opened, but when his eyes fell upon another _human_ approaching him, he felt the adrenaline surge back into him. He writhed on the table, trying to flap and twist and turn and pull himself free, panic blinding him to any pain he was feeling. His efforts were futile however, only managing to rip his wings even more.

Terror struck the little fae as he looked between the damage he'd accidentally caused to himself, and the quickly advancing hand in his direction. He pushed himself farther into the cold hard surface behind him, as if he could somehow meld with the wood and never be touched by another human again.

However, to Finn's surprise, the human didn't grab him or continue the process or crush him like a bug. Instead the pin securing him down was yanked out of its spot, releasing him from his shackles. The fae could only stare in dumbfounded wonder, pondering why one of them would let him go when they had him right where they wanted him. A part of him wondered if it was just some cruel mind game, to push him to his breaking point for laughs, and his eyes whipped up to the human above him in a glare.

But instead of seeing malice and deceit and a thirst for power like he was expecting, there was only the same look he saw earlier. _Sympathy_ _and pain._ Finn's aggression faltered as he recognized those light blue eyes from the store, which he could see better under the hood now that the other was closer. They stared right at him, but somehow it was.. different. He wasn't being ogled or gawked at or scrutinized, in fact the human wasn't even looking at his wings. He was simply being looked at _eye to eye_ , not as an object, and he didn't know how it made him feel.

Scared was one way to put it-- nothing about a human was reassuring, different behaviour or not, and Finn wouldn't let himself be fooled by them twice. Instantly as soon as the second pin was pulled free he scrambled backwards, wanting to get as much space between the two of them as quickly as possible. Once at a safer distance he readied his aching wings and took flight, only to realize that he actually _hadn't_. 

Before he could even get three feet off the desk his wings failed him, making him freefall towards the sleek wooden surface with a panicked yelp. His torn wings flapped uselessly trying to catch himself before the impact, but as he braced himself for a bone-crushing landing something lunged into his view. And he landed in something soft.

It took him a second to realize where he was, but when it clicked his heart almost stopped. The human had reached out to stop his fall and was now holding him in both palms, staring wide-eyed. Finn froze to the core, unable to do anything. He couldn't speak or even move his limbs to get away-- instead, he stared back in intense sheer terror.

_There was nothing stopping this human from ending his life right there, grasping him and ripping him apart, or worse-- what if he was just going to do the same thing as the other? Make him experience the horror all over again? What if--_

The fae's gruesome thoughts were cut short as his overwhelmed brain blacked out, sending him crashing into the human's hands as his body went limp. While his consciousness faded away he couldn't help but notice how much smoother these ones were than the ones that grabbed him earlier.

Just barely, he registered his new captor beginning to move, taking him along to yet another unknown fate.

…

But who knew that unknown fate could be so... _soft_? 

When Finn eventually woke back up, it was well into the next day. The first thing that he noticed was how comfortable he was, more than he'd been in a very long time. It was bliss; the warmth radiating around him, the soft plush material he was pressed into, even the dreams he was having were kind of nice. 

Dreams of _home_. Somewhere he hasn't been in so long, and will never be again. Where the flowers bloomed so big that him and his friends could slide off the petals, where the currents in the sky were smooth and guiding, where the rushing of the small creek by the main tree lulled him to sleep every night. He smiled into his cocoon of warmth, remembering his past, but it faded as reality finally struck him. 

This was not home.

In a flash Finn's eyes burst open. His back twinged in pain as he sat up to investigate his surroundings, but he pushed through. The first thing he reached for was his wings, making sure that both of them were still intact. A huge sigh of relief escaped him as he felt both appendages still in their rightful place. _They weren't gone yet._

Looking down he could see that he'd been carefully wrapped up in a large soft cloth. Part of him wanted to just curl back into it, go back to his blissful slumber, but he knew that would be a bad idea. He was in unfamiliar territory, and wouldn't let himself be caught with his guard down again.

Speaking of which, where even _was_ he?

Finn blinked a few times to refocus his eyes on the scene ahead of him, eyes going wide as he realized that he was in the house of another human; which didn't surprise him, but the sight wasn't welcoming in the slightest. He's reminded of how his last captor tore off the black cover on the cage to reveal the small cluttered room he thought he would die in, and shuddered. But this room was much different-- there were no jars and scalpels and herbs that lined the walls, no pins holding him down, and, to his surprise, no cage walls surrounding him. He was simply out in the open, able to leave if he wanted to.

The faerie squinted. Why would the human go through all of that effort to steal him just to make it so that he could disappear on them? It didn't make sense. There had to be some sort of catch.

_And there was_. Carefully Finn unpeeled himself from his fabric cocoon, intending to walk to the edge of the small platform he was on to get a better view of things. Idly he noticed that there were 3 walls of wood surrounding him, with the fourth side open to the room ahead of him. Cautiously he put one foot in front of the other, stepping out until his toes almost hung off the front edge.

And he gulped. Where he stood was five and a half feet off the ground, a lethal fall if he were to slip. Nervously he bit his lip and took a step away from the ledge, glancing back at his wings. The sight made him sick- from where the pins had stuck through stemmed long rips that he'd torn amidst all his thrashing. He grimaced, knowing that without the use of his wings he was bound to his two feet, and stuck at the mercy of the human who had found him.

" _S_ _o you're finally awake,"_

A foreign voice rumbled from beneath him, startling Finn from his thoughts. His head whipped to the location of the sound, instantly landing on the blue-eyed human sitting in a chair at a desk a couple feet beneath him. The two locked eyes for a brief moment before Finn squeaked in surprise, ducking back out of sight.

He backpedaled steadily, until his back hit the far wall of the empty box that he was trapped in. _No, he wasn't free, this was just a different cage._

Involuntarily his limbs began to shake again, as he tried not to fully freak out. Which was hard, considering how _stupid_ he felt to have damaged his only chance of escape. He was stuck here now, and he knew it would only be a matter of time before the human stopped being so nice.

He whimpered at the thoughts of his last captor, at how careless he had been to his pleas, and he knew that this human couldn't understand him all the same. Anxiety started to rise in his chest once more, and he could faintly make out the distant sound of shuffling. It was just going to happen all over again- _he'd be grabbed, inspected, plucked apart, sold again, or worse. It's just how humans were._

When a massive figure towered into his view, Finn only curled in on himself further as his panic grew. A hand was going to reach in and grab him, he just knew it, but he couldn't watch. Instead, he pressed his face into his knees, hiding as much of himself as he could. While he hated giving off such a weak display, he really couldn't help it. Flashbacks from being pinned to the desk kept resurfacing, and before he knew it he had burst into more sobs. Silently he prayed that maybe he could escape another gruesome fate if the human took enough pity on him.

More words echoed through the room, but the faerie was much too afraid to meet the source or try and understand their meaning. He simply stayed curled up in his tight little ball, wishing that the world would go away.

\--

Maverick sighed, running a hand through his hair before letting it fall by his side. A _faerie_ , of all things, lay curled up in front of him on his bookshelf in an old scarf repurposed as a bed. Many hours had gone by since he initially rescued the poor thing, but it was still sound asleep.

Which he took advantage of, able to get much closer to the little guy this way rather than if he was awake. Or, well, at least Maverick figured it was a _he,_ by the way its body looked in human standards. He really didn't know how gender worked in fae society, not having read about it in any of his textbooks before, and part of him hoped that he'd one day get to ask.

Up close Maverick could see a concerning amount of bruises that littered the little fae's body, not to mention the punctured wings and how frail he looked in general. He scowled. How anyone could treat such a beautiful innocent creature so poorly was beyond him. The sight of it made him even more glad that he had made it there in time-- If he'd hesitated even ten minutes longer, he doubted that the faerie would have lasted. 

Eventually, after getting a good long look to get an idea of what he was really dealing with, Maverick left him alone on the shelf. He didn't go far, simply sitting at the desk less than a few feet away, but they were no longer in line of sight of each other. As much as he wanted to stand there and stare all day, there was work that needed to be done.

But that didn't stop him from keeping a constant eye out for any movement, and when he finally heard something about an hour later, he froze. The faerie seemed to be waking up, probably checking out his surroundings. Within another minute more movement was heard, and finally the winged creature peered out into the room from the edge of the bookshelf.

Maverick didn't want to startle the little guy, but he couldn't stop himself from speaking up.

"So you're finally awake," he started, voice soft as he could manage.

It didn't seem to matter how sugar-coated his words were though, as he only startled the fae who seemingly hadn't noticed him yet. With a small scared noise, he ducked back into the bookshelf, hiding himself from view once more. 

Maverick frowned. This was not his intention, but he can't say the reaction was entirely unexpected. Slowly he rose out of his chair, centering himself in front of the shelf. His heart sank at the sight of the faerie cowering away from him, pressed as far back as he could get, shaking and crying.

"Hey, it's alright," He tried again, being as soothing as possible. "Can you understand me?"

There was no response from the faerie, other than curling in on himself even harder and pressing even farther away from Maverick's advance. His frown deepened, not knowing how he could help the little guy calm down, especially considering the language barrier, and the fact that he was the _cause_ of all this fear. 

In a split second decision he turned on his heels, heading towards his bedroom door. The faerie obviously needed some space, and Maverick had to find a way to be more approachable. He figured that perhaps some food would be a good offering, and he didn't look back as he made his way out of his room and downstairs to the kitchen. 

Luckily he had bought some fruit just yesterday on one of his grocery outings, and it didn't take long to cut up a different assortment of fresh berries and find two very small cups for some honey and water. He knew that they had simple diets and that this would suffice for now, but he wondered if the faerie would tell him if he wanted more.

Before long Maverick was heading back upstairs, the reality of everything just now setting in. _He'd broken into a powerful alchemist's home to steal a faerie, who he was now trying to house._ He had no idea what to tell his uncle about the Growbeast scroll being missing when he inevitably finds out, but as much as he hated postponing things, he'd cross that bridge when he got to it. 

For some reason, Maverick knocked on his own bedroom door before entering. He didn't really want to send the faerie into another panic attack by merely just _being_ there, but he figured that was inevitable for now. Ever so cautiously he entered the room again, eyes transfixed on the bookshelf. 

His little guest was back in the scarf again, his white hair and glossy eyes peeking out from under it as Maverick approached. 

Hoping that his actions could speak louder than his words he gave the faerie a little wave, suddenly reminded of his encounter with Penny all those years ago. He couldn't help but smile sweetly as he got closer, just far enough to reach out and put the plate beside the bundle of fabric. Immediately after setting it down Maverick backed up, giving the other some space. From the way the little hidden form seemed to shake whenever he got near, he figured he wasn't too keen on a lot of human contact. 

Still, introductions were in order.

"I don't know if you can hear me, but this is for you," He said as he placed down the plate and water, his every movement being watched by two big black eyes. Maverick instantly retracted his hand away from the bookshelf to comfort the faerie even more, and instead placed it on his chest, gesturing to himself. It worked when he was a child, so he hoped that it would work once more.

"My name is Maverick… Can you tell me yours?" 

There was a very long pause of silence, neither of them breaking eye contact for a solid minute. Maverick searched the other's expression for any sign of recognition that he was being heard. He seemed to be heavily considering something, but before Maverick could say something again an impossibly small voice spoke up with a single word.

"Finn."

Maverick's face lit up. "Finn? Is that your name?" 

A hesitant nod.

His soft smile grew even brighter, in awe that he was actually being understood now. For a moment he stood there dumbfounded, but his mouth was quick to fill the silence.

"Well Finn, it's nice to meet you. Please, relax, I'm not going to touch you or hurt you in any way." 

Finn stared silently, watching with wary eyes. The distrust was obvious.

"I _promise,_ " Maverick quickly reassured, "I only wish to help. When I saw you in the store, all I could think about was how to get you out of there… _although I may have used a rather unorthodox method_.." He trailed off, looking away before correcting his gaze back onto the faerie. "So if there's anything I can do to make you feel more comfortable, let me know."

Again he smiled sweetly, looking down at the other as he waited for a response. 

Finn continued staring, clearly thinking about a lot as his expression changed from fear to confusion. But after another long silence, he spoke up.

"Let me go." He demanded, although a little weakly.

Maverick's expression wilted, his chest tightening at the words. 

"Of course I'll let you go," He blurted, "you're not a prisoner here. I just think it'd be wise to let your wings heal first, don't you?" 

The faerie paused once more, thinking back to the damage they'd taken. He hated that the human was right; he was in no position to be outside when he couldn't even fly- he'd be lunch on the spot, or worse. He tried to push the thoughts out of his head, looking away from Maverick's intense gaze. Every part of him screamed to get out of there, to get away from this deadly situation, but he couldn't help but feel like he wasn't in as much danger as he initially thought he was.

After a minute he shifted his gaze between the plate of delicious looking fruit and Maverick's unwavering blue eyes.

"Why are you _helping_ me?" He couldn't help but ask, a tiny bit of the tension leaving his shoulders. Once the language seal was broken he had planned on pleading for his life to be spared, unaware that Maverick's words would take that fight right out of him. But there was always a catch to the things humans did, and he wondered what this one wanted in return.

"Because…" Maverick faltered, unable to find the words to explain why he'd done it. "..You're important. Maybe not to everyone else but to me you are. I knew your species had intelligence, and I couldn't just watch you suffer."

At that, Finn's eyes widened.

"But I understand if you truly don't wish to stay here- you've been through a lot and I'm sure my company is quite daunting. If you want, I can release you back into the forest right now, but again I highly advise against that given.. your current state." He gestured towards the faerie's battered body and torn wings, a small concerned frown growing on his face.

Finn was once again taken aback by this human's words. Did he _really_ wish him no harm? Had he finally found a human that wasn't evil? It felt highly improbable, yet the provided food and lack of a cage were compelling arguments. Not to mention the fact that Maverick had _introduced_ himself, the first human to do that to him since his capture. Finn wasn't really someone to just give his name out left and right, but when faced with the option to be able to understand the person in control of his life, he figured it was a fair exception. And he was kinf of glad he did it. 

He gave the scarf and plate of fruit another once-over, nervously chewing his lip. As much as he hated to admit it he _was_ safe for now, and he wouldn't mind taking another nap in the super soft pile once more. He doubted the human would stick to his words, but he seemed genuine enough.

Hesitantly Finn nodded, his mind racing like mad. So far, Maverick seemed safe enough to trust. Besides, there wasn't much Finn could do about it if he wasn't.

"I…. I'll stay.." He said quietly, bravely meeting the human's gaze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> really excited to write more of this! i have a few ideas of things that will happen! thanks for reading so far :") i still have no idea what this is tho lol


	4. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maverick awoke about an hour or so after Finn. He was always one to be an early riser, but this time he didn't wake to the birds chirping or the trees rustling. Instead, it was the front door opening and closing that roused him from his sleep. 
> 
> Almost instantly he panicked, wondering for only a moment who it could have been before a voice broke through the silence.
> 
> "Maaavvv, I'm hooome." His sister's voice called out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI IM SOOOOO SORRY FOR THE WAIT LSDMGKSJDKSJFNFJDHDH and this isnt even that much content but i promise i still have plans for this fic ♡♡

Short  Pre-Chapter Notes: 

-Luna faeries are generally weaker in the daylight (physically and magically), and Solas faeries are the same but with night.

-Faerie Dust is necessary for a fae tp fly; it is produced naturally by each fae, and the production is amplified under their respective power source (ie sun/moon). It also helps them heal faster, and boosts their magic slightly the more they have. Think of it almost like their Mana.

-"Aunt Vicki" is Roy's (Maverick's uncle's) fiancée, but she's basically family to them all.

_______________________________

"...For now." He added after a short pause. He was still on a mission, one that had been abruptly cut short by cruel human antics.

Although, a part of him wilted when he realized that his colony would be miles away by now, in a direction he wouldn't know. He was taken too far away to feel their presence anymore; he was truly alone. He grimaced at the thoughts of having to start over, to live solo. But idly he wondered if he could meet another Fae, and work together with them. He considered himself a rather sociable being, in the right company.

Finn took a deep breath, grounding himself before his anxiety of the future could get out of hand. He still had to heal first, his aching body a constant reminder of that. 

Maverick's face lit up once more at his acceptance to stay, and he only nodded firmly when Finn announced it wouldn't be permanent. He didn't blame him for wanting to leave, the faerie had basically been from one kidnapper to the next by this point. His soft smile remained, but determination flared in his eyes. He was going to try and provide the best life for Finn that he possibly could in their short time together.

"I'm honoured that you want to stay," He said earnestly, but his smile faded slightly. "Although I guess the decision was made more out of survival than trust." 

There was no coldness to his words, no venom. Maverick spoke as if he were simply stating the facts, calm and collected as always. While his emotions could get in the way sometimes, he had a rather analytical mind and could rationalize past being hurt over simple things. However, he had a tendency to be very blunt sometimes. 

Finn nodded after a few moments, concluding that Maverick wouldn't lash out for him agreeing with what he had said. It was  _ true,  _ he only decided to stay here because being in the forest in his current condition would be a death sentence, and he couldn't fly to nurse himself elsewhere. He was still terrified of the human in front of him, only hoping that he would keep up his kind and gentle facade for the time it takes for his wings to heal.

Maverick chuckled, a soft low sound that broke through the silence between them.

"Well, I'd say that you  _ can _ trust me, but my words probably mean very little to you so I hope my actions can suffice. You're welcome to stay here for as long as you'd like, I promise nothing but the utmost care. If you need something, don't hesitate to speak up. I will always listen to you, now that I am able to." 

The bespectacled man bit his tongue, holding back a waterfall of words that fought to flow out. His mouth had a tendency to run, trying to keep up with his mind. He wanted to keep spouting reassurances to Finn, to make him understand that he wasn't in any danger here. He wanted to let him know he saw him as an equal and nothing lesser, that he was sorry for the treatment of Fae kind, that he  _ cared _ .

But overloading the poor guy was the last thing he wanted to do, and so much conversation might not be the best approach to someone not so keen on talking yet.

Finn simply nodded again, and he found some of his fear leaving him. The more he looked into Maverick's eyes he saw nothing but sincerity and determination. Passion and concern. None of these emotions Finn could see were ones he should be afraid of, and as the human spoke he found himself growing much less tense.

Everything about the situation almost felt too good to be true. Everything Maverick said and did was so.. genuine and nice. So cautious and precise, like he really didn't want to hurt him. Finn  _ knew  _ that there were good humans out there, with the sheer amount of them alone statistically not  _ all _ of them could be bad, but Maverick was more kind than the little fae could have ever hoped for. 

Suddenly, Maverick's fatigue caught up with him and he let out a long yawn. Glancing at the window by his desk he could tell that the sun had long since set. But it wasn't dark; The moon seemed brighter than ever, illuminating the windowsill in a soft eerie glow. It took him a few seconds to realize that he was zoning out and staring at nothing before he snapped back to reality, returning his gaze to Finn.

"Is there anything I can get you before I retire for the night? I'd love to talk more, but it's been a long day.." 

Finn laughed internally, but it was dry and humourless. He understood better than anyone what a long day felt like -- ever since his initial capture two days ago the only rest he'd gotten was when he passed out from exhaustion in Maverick's hands for an hour, and even that was a restless sleep.

But he shoved aside his sleep-deprived bitterness and actually thought about the question. After a moment's consideration, he spoke up.

"Can I make a request..?" 

"Anything." Maverick nodded eagerly.

Finn's eyes shot over to the slightly open window, to where the moonlight filtered through the thin white curtains. He itched to bask in the glow, to feel the replenishing cool breeze of night on his skin. The lunar energy would surely help Dust accumulate and speed up the healing of his wings.

"Can I sleep over there?" He pointed to the windowsill. 

Maverick's gaze followed the faerie's outstretched finger, realization donning on him when it landed on the windowsill. Of course a Luna fae would want to be in the moonlight, it was as natural and healthy to them as drinking water to humans. He needed it to survive and, judging by how weak he seemed, he probably hadn't had any in a while.

"Of course," he blurted, before something else popped into his mind. The window was slightly open, big enough for Finn to slip through if he wanted. Maverick's room was on the second floor, and he raised an eyebrow wondering if Finn would really go through such extreme measures to get away from him. There wasn't much he could do other than hope that the little fae wouldn't try and escape; he didn't want him to hurt himself any more than he already was. And if he voiced his concerns, he could lose what little trust they were building.

"Is it alright if I pick up the scarf with you in it?" He asked after a moment, not missing the apprehensive look that flashed across Finn's face. But if the white haired fairy had a problem, he didn't vocalize it.

Maverick approached after a hesitant nod from the other, and cupped his hands gently under the bundle of fabric. Finn ducked further into the makeshift coccoon of safety, but kept his black eyes trained on every action the human made. He didn't trust Maverick, not yet, but it was getting increasingly difficult to stay wary. His shakiness had calmed considerably since the last time he was in the other's hands, and both of them considered this a good sign.

It took a matter of seconds to reposition Finn onto the windowsill, but it was still a big step in the right direction. If he was still there in the morning, Maverick would consider his attempts at making himself seem harmless a success, and they could work out a treatment plan from there on out. He wasn't quite sure if there was anything he could actually  _ do _ to help speed the healing process up, but he hoped that they could work out a few ideas.

If he  _ wasn't  _ there in the morning then… all of the destruction he'd caused would be meaningless, and--

"Oh," He piped up with a start, pulling himself from his darker thoughts. Wouldn't do him good to fester about them now. He spun on his heels, turning back towards the bookshelf. With a few quick strides Maverick brought over the water, honey, and fruit to the window, setting them down a few inches away from the scarf. 

"Here, you'll probably want these," Maverick smiled softly again, backing away from the window after setting everything down.

Finn's antennae immediately perked up as the moonlight hit his head. It felt so good, so refreshing and calming. It was to him what a warm summer breeze was to a Solas fae. It felt like  _ home _ . For a moment he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, opening them once he remembered that he was still in foreign territory. 

The two stared at each other for a few more seconds, Maverick seeming lost in thought. Finn stayed tucked behind the safety of the fabric, staring back at the human's sharp blue eyes. He couldn't believe everything that had happened so far-- in just a matter of hours he'd gone from fighting for his life and believing he was going to die, to being cared for and treated with respect. It was a lot to process and frankly, he felt exhausted. It started to settle deep into his bones, and he knew he wouldn't last much longer awake.

"......Maverick," He spoke up right as the human was about to turn away, hesitantly pulling himself out of his scarf shelter just a little. Maverick's attention snapped back to him with a small inquisitive hum, and Finn swallowed dryly. 

"Thank you…." he managed to say after a moment's pause, looking away sheepishly. "For rescuing me." 

Maverick melted.

"You're very welcome, Finn.. I'm just sorry you had to endure such a traumatizing experience. But I promise you I'll never do anything like that to you."

The faerie simply nodded, and for once he believed the human's promise. 

He tucked himself neatly into the scarf, laying with the moonlight exposed on his back. He wasn't afraid of where he'd wake up, wasn't afraid of who he'd be dealing with after the fact. He felt at peace in Maverick's presence, and slept soundly through the night for the first time in a very long while.

\---

It was only when the sun rose that he stirred, shying away from the light. He tried to open his eyes but it only burned, so he dragged him and the scarf pile a few inches over into the corner of the windowsill, where there was some shade. It was still incredibly bright, and he couldn't get off of the windowsill without Maverick's help. Falling a few feet down onto the desk was not a favourable option. In hindsight sleeping there might not have been the best decision, but he still considered how refreshed he felt worth it.

Maverick awoke about an hour or so after Finn. He was always one to be an early riser, but this time he didn't wake to the birds chirping or the trees rustling. Instead, it was the front door opening and closing that roused him from his sleep. 

Almost instantly he panicked, wondering for only a moment who it could have been before a voice broke through the silence.

"Maaavvv, I'm hooome." Alia's voice called out.

Maverick cursed under his breath; he hadn't expected his sister to be home so soon! She lived with him and their uncle as well, both wanting to escape the abuse of their father, but she often spent days to weeks at a time at Roy's fiancé's place. The two girls were close, and Maverick often felt like an unnecessary third wheel around them, so he chose to stay at the house and watch the place.

But her footsteps were growing closer, and his heart began to race. She was coming to say hi. 

Immediately his gaze whipped towards the little faerie still on the windowsill, who had now poked his head out in curiosity at the unexpected voice. The two locked gazes, the fear blatantly apparent in Finn's eyes. Neither of them were prepared for this. 

Quickly Maverick shot to his feet, and strode over to the window to pick Finn up. He had to hide him somewhere, but he couldn't figure out where. He opted for just placing him onto the middle of the desk below, which was hidden by the back of a tall chair, whispering apologies as Finn ducked away and hid himself from his sudden unwarned approach.

The transportation was swift however, and in a matter of moments after realizing he was unharmed, Finn was peeking his head back out. Maverick had turned away from him, walking towards a mirror on the opposite wall. If he was going to be seen, even by his sister, he had to look  _ somewhat _ presentable and not like he'd just crawled out of bed. 

Alia had reached the hallway by then, each of her footsteps up the stairs making him more and more nervous by the second. He didn't really know what her reaction to Finn would be, and didn't want to find out just yet. 

Moments later she knocked on the door before abruptly waking in, like she always does. Maverick jumped back at the sudden intrusion, unable to suppress his nervousness. In hindsight he should have hidden Finn better, but he'd panicked and had such little time. He was out of view of the door, but unfortunately that's not where Alia lingered.

His sister sauntered into his room like it was her own, an act that wouldn't have bothered Maverick on any other day. The two of them were extremely close, even if they didn't always see eye to eye all the time.

"It's good to be back," She sighed deeply, flopping down onto Maverick's hastily made bed. "You didn't die of boredom while I was gone?"

"I'm still very much alive," He commented plainly, resisting the urge to glance in Finn's direction. From where she sat now she couldn't see him, but if she were to stand up she'd notice the scarf for sure.

"Well yeah, I can see that," Alia scoffed lightly. "I just don't see how you  _ like _ sitting around here all the time. It's so quiet here." 

Maverick shrugged. "The silence is nice. And it's not entirely boring, there's texts to study and spells to practice--"

"--But that's all you  _ ever do _ ," Alia whined. "Why don't you ever go  _ outside _ , and like, make some friends or something?" She looked out the window, staring out into the bright blue sky above.

"Because 'making friends' isn't necessary, and isn't as easy for me as it is for you." Maverick retorted, a little sharper than he intended. His vocabulary was top notch, but his social skills still seemed to lack in most departments. People often said he was too analytical, too honest, too blunt. And more often than not, the conversation a commoner could provide would surely spark no interest to him. 

Alia was about to say something snappy back but the words died in her throat as her eyes landed on the windowsill, where the honey, water, and fruit still sat. Her eyes glistened with curiosity. 

"Oooh what's that for?" She asked, completely changing the conversation. And Maverick would have been happy about that, if she'd only noticed  _ anything _ other than his slip-up he forgot to hide. Suddenly his sister rose to her feet, and began to move towards the window.

Maverick panicked, quickly stepping in between her and the desk. "It's uhh…" He paused for a split second, his heart racing a mile a minute. He wasn't a very good liar, and always cracked under pressure when being put on the spot. 

"It's for a spell," he quickly covered up, before realizing she wouldn't recognize which one.

But Alia knew him well enough to know when something was up. She stopped in her tracks, and narrowed her eyes in Maverick's direction. He was obviously trying to hide something, which he hasn't done in a while. Her only question was;  _ what was it _ .

"No it's not," She argued, gaze darting between him, the windowsill contents, and behind Maverick where he was blocking her. "So what's it for?" She pried, her curiosity always getting the better of her. "Did you bring an animal in here or something? You know uncle Roy is allergic to almost like, anything with fur."

"Yes, I'm aware. I wouldn't bring an  _ animal _ in here no. But I still can't tell you what it is. Not yet, at least." 

At that Alia narrowed her eyes even more, before groaning in frustration. "Come onn, just tell meeeee." She prodded, trying to peer past her taller brother. 

"Alia,  _ please _ ." Maverick said sternly, making her stop her protesting. He usually only called her Ali, so by his tone and the use of her full name she knew he was serious. She looked at him with a piercing stare.

"I can see how this might sound bad, but please just trust me that I can't tell you right now. It's nothing dangerous but.. I just need some time." 

Alia kept staring, but eventually her gaze softened and she let out a long, defeated sigh. 

"Alright, fine." She submitted, a hand going to her hip. "You don't have to tell me then, but whatever it is you know I won't judge you or tell on you right?" 

Maverick nodded, knowing that they always had each others backs, and had helped get each other out of some pretty wild situations at their father's before.

"I know," he grinned, but it faded as he glanced back to the desk behind him. "It's just not entirely up to me right now." 

Alia quirked an eyebrow at him, but chose not to argue any more. She knew that he would come to her when he was ready for it, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be impatient to find out what it is. It'd likely fester in her mind for the better half of the day, leaving her wondering for hours, but ultimately she respected Maverick's privacy.

If the tables were turned, she'd want him to trust her too.

"Okay, well," Alia took a step back, and some of the tension visible left Maverick's body. "Since you clearly don't want to talk about it, want to go eat breakfast together? I haven't seen you in like, a week-- and you would  _ not _ believe what aunt Vicki told me." She grinned wickedly.

Something told Maverick that it probably wouldn't be much importance to him, but spending time with his sister was, so he agreed to go anyway. Besides, getting her out of his room before she discovered Finn was top priority. 

"I'll see you in the kitchen?" He asked. "I just need a minute."

"Sure thing." Alia nodded, before ducking back out of his room as quickly as she had barged in. When the door had closed behind her he leaned against it and let out a long sigh of relief, puffing out his cheeks. Immediately his eyes landed on his desk, and the slight bit of scarf that he could see poking out from behind the back of the chair.

"Finn?" He called out gently, approaching with gentle footsteps. "It's alright, you can come out, she's gone. I'm terribly sorry about the sudden intrusion."

Finn took a second to uncover himself from the scarf, very cautiously peering around before deeming it safe enough to show his head and wings. His glossy black eyes stared up into Maverick's glasses, but he seemed much less afraid than before. 

"Thank you," The fae spoke up. "For keeping me a secret." He couldn't understand anything that the other human was saying, but could glean enough from Maverick's responses to know that she had been inquiring about him. His heart had raced at the ideas of being shown off to her, of Maverick breaking his promise. But he had stuck true to his word, and had stopped the worst from happening.

Maverick smiled down at Finn, giving him a reassuring nod. "Of course. You should be in control of when you're introduced to people, and I didn't think you'd be too comfortable with that interaction were it to happen." 

Finn only nodded in agreement- He would have  _ hated _ having another pair of eyes on him.

His silence prompted Maverick to continue. 

"Anyway, I've got to go catch up with my sister.. would you like to go anywhere in the room while I'm gone? It shouldn't be more than an hour."

The faerie paused and thought about it, before hesitantly speaking up once more. 

"The shelf?" He asked, surprising even himself. When he'd first woken up there the wooden walls were a sign of entrapment, but now they felt like barriers of safety. Plus, it shielded him away from the blinding daylight.

"Of course." Maverick nodded, before swiftly scooping him up once more and bringing him back to the shelf. The honey, water, and leftover berries were quick to follow. 

"I'll be back," He assured the little faerie on the way out the door, making sure to close his bedroom door fully behind him.

Finn's heart still raced from the adrenaline of it all, but after a few minutes it had calmed down.

And a few minutes after that, he found himself drifting off back to sleep.


End file.
